Dickens portrayal of selfishness, in this case in the Chuzzlewit family. Old Martin has a great fortune, and everyone wants in on it, especially distant cousin Seth Pecksniff. Meanwhile, his grandson, young Martin, has fallen in love with his grandfather's ward Mary and is disinherited, sending young Martin on an adventure in America from which he will return a changed man. Will he win Mary? Also featuring the dastardly villain Jonas Chuzzlewit, young Martin's cousin, and the hilarious nurse/midwife Sarah Gamp, who is usually found in a state of intoxication. - Summary by Brad J Filippone
Chapters
1 Preface 5 min 2 CHAPTER ONE - INTRODUCTORY, CONCERNING THE PEDIGREE OF THE CHUZZLEWIT FAMILY 15 min 3 CHAPTER TWO - WHEREIN CERTAIN PERSONS ARE PRESENTED TO THE READER, WITH WHOM HE MAY, IF HE PLEASE, BECOME BETTER ACQUAINTED 44 min 4 CHAPTER THREE - IN WHICH CERTAIN OTHER PERSONS ARE INTRODUCED; ON THE SAME TERMS AS IN THE LAST CHAPTER 46 min 5 CHAPTER FOUR - FROM WHICH IT WILL APPEAR THAT IF UNION BE STRENGTH, AND FAMILY AFFECTION BE PLEASANT TO CONTEMPLATE, THE CHUZZLEWITS WERE THE STRONGEST AND MOST AGREEABLE FAMILY IN THE WORLD 47 min 6 CHAPTER FIVE - CONTAINING A FULL ACCOUNT OF THE INSTALLATION OF MR PECKSNIFF'S NEW PUPIL INTO THE BOSOM OF MR PECKSNIFF'S FAMILY. WITH ALL THE FESTIVITIES HELD ON THAT OCCASION, AND THE GREAT ENJOYMENT OF MR PINCH 53 min 7 CHAPTER SIX - COMPRISES, AMONG OTHER IMPORTANT MATTERS, PECKSNIFFIAN AND ARCHITECTURAL, AND EXACT RELATION OF THE PROGRESS MADE BY MR PINCH IN THE CONFIDENCE AND FRIENDSHIP OF THE NEW PUPIL 37 min 8 CHAPTER SEVEN - IN WHICH MR CHEVY SLYME ASSERTS THE INDEPENDENCE OF HIS SPIRIT, AND THE BLUE DRAGON LOSES A LIMB 38 min 9 CHAPTER EIGHT - ACCOMPANIES MR PECKSNIFF AND HIS CHARMING DAUGHTERS TO THE CITY OF LONDON; AND RELATES WHAT FELL OUT UPON THEIR WAY THITHER 26 min 10 CHAPTER NINE - TOWN AND TODGER'S 1 h 6 min 11 CHAPTER TEN - CONTAINING STRANGE MATTER, ON WHICH MANY EVENTS IN THIS HISTORY MAY, FOR THEIR GOOD OR EVIL INFLUENCE, CHIEFLY DEPEND 37 min 12 CHAPTER ELEVEN - WHEREIN A CERTAIN GENTLEMAN BECOMES PARTICULAR IN HIS ATTENTIONS TO A CERTAIN LADY; AND MORE COMING EVENTS THAN ONE, CAST THEIR SHADOWS BEFORE 48 min 13 CHAPTER TWELVE - WILL BE SEEN IN THE LONG RUN, IF NOT IN THE SHORT ONE, TO CONCERN MR PINCH AND OTHERS, NEARLY. MR PECKSNIFF ASSERTS THE DIGNITY OF OUTRAGED VIRTUE. YOUNG MARTIN CHUZZLEWIT FORMS A DESPERATE RESOLUTION 50 min 14 CHAPTER THIRTEEN SHOWING WHAT BECAME OF MARTIN AND HIS DESPARATE RESOLVE, AFTER HE LEFT MR PECKSNIFF'S HOUSE; WHAT PERSONS HE ENCOUNTERED; WHAT ANXIETIES HE SUFFERED; AND WHAT NEWS HE HEARD 50 min 15 CHAPTER FOURTEEN - IN WHICH MARTIN BIDS ADIEU TO THE LADY OF HIS LOVE; AND HONOURS AN OBSCURE INDIVIDUAL WHOSE FORTUNE HE INTENDS TO MAKE BY COMMENDING HER TO HIS PROTECTION 26 min 16 CHAPTER FIFTEEN - THE BURDEN WHEREOF, IS HAIL COLUMBIA! 24 min 17 CHAPTER SIXTEEN - MARTIN DISEMBARKS FROM THAT NOBLE AND FAST-SAILING LINE-OF-PACKET SHIP, ‘THE SCREW', AT THE PORT OF NEW YORK, IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. HE MAKES SOME ACQUAINTANCES, AND DINES AT A BOARDING-HOUSE. THE PARTICULARS OF THOSE TRANSACTIONS 52 min 18 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN - MARTIN ENLARGES HIS CIRCLE OF AQUAINTANCE; INCREASES HIS STOCK OF WISDOM; AND HAS AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY OF COMPARING HIS OWN EXPERIENCES WITH THOSE OF LUMMY NED OF THE LIGHT SALISBURY, AS RELATED BY HIS FRIEND MR WILLIAM SIMMONS 46 min 19 CHAPTER EIGHTEEN - DOES BUSINESS WITH THE HOUSE OF ANTHONY CHUZZLEWIT AND SON, FROM WHICH ONE OF THE PARTNERS RETIRES UNEXPECTEDLY 29 min 20 CHAPTER NINETEEN - THE READER IS BROUGHT INTO COMMUNICATION WITH SOME PROFESSIONAL PERSONS, AND SHEDS A TEAR OVER THE FILIAL PIETY OF GOOD MR JONAS 42 min 21 CHAPTER TWENTY - IS A CHAPTER OF LOVE 34 min 22 CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE - MORE AMERICAN EXPERIENCES, MARTIN TAKES A PARTNER, AND MAKES A PURCHASE. SOME ACCOUNT OF EDEN, AS IT APPEARED ON PAPER. ALSO OF THE BRITISH LION. ALSO OF THE KIND OF SYMPATHY PROFESSED AND ENTERTAINED BY THE WATERTOAST ASSOCIATION OF UNITED SYMPATHISERS 52 min 23 CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO - FROM WHICH IT WILL BE SEEN THAT MARTIN BECAME A LION OF HIS OWN ACCOUNT. TOGETHER WITH THE REASON WHY 25 min 24 CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE - MARTIN AND HIS PARTNER TAKE POSSESSION OF THEIR ESTATE. THE JOYFUL OCCASION INVOLVES SOME FURTHER ACCOUNT OF EDEN 25 min 25 CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR - REPORTS PROGRESS IN CERTAIN HOMELY MATTERS OF LOVE, HATRED, JEALOUSY, AND REVENGE 42 min 26 CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE - IS IN PART PROFESSIONAL, AND FURNISHES THE READER WITH SOME VALUABLE HINTS IN RELATION TO THE MANAGEMENT OF A SICK CHAMBER 43 min 27 CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX - AN UNEXPECTED MEETING, AND A PROMISING PROSPECT 22 min 28 CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN - SHOWING THAT OLD FRIENDS MAY NOT ONLY APPEAR WITH NEW FACES, BUT IN FALSE COLOURS. THAT PEOPLE ARE PRONE TO BITE, AND THAT BITERS MAY SOMETIMES BE BITTEN 52 min 29 CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT - MR. MONTAGUE AT HOME. AND MR. JONAS CHUZZLEWIT AT HOME 26 min 30 CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE - IN WHICH SOME PEOPLE ARE PRECOCIOUS, OTHERS PROFESSIONAL, AND OTHERS MYSTERIOUS; ALL IN THEIR SEVERAL WAYS 26 min 31 CHAPTER THIRTY - PROVES THAT CHANGES MAY BE RUNG IN THE BEST-REGULATED FAMILIES, AND THAT MR PECKNIFF WAS A SPECIAL HAND AT A TRIPLE-BOB-MAJOR 38 min 32 CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE - MR PINCH IS DISCHARGED OF A DUTY WHICH HE NEVER OWED TO ANYBODY, AND MR PECKSNIFF DISCHARGES A DUTY WHICH HE OWES TO SOCIETY 48 min 33 CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO - TREATS OF TODGER'S AGAIN; AND OF ANOTHER BLIGHTED PLANT BESIDES THE PLANTS UPON THE LEADS 16 min 34 CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE - FURTHER PROCEEDINGS IN EDEN, AND A PROCEEDING OUT OF IT. MARTIN MAKES A DISCOVERY OF SOME IMPORTANCE 43 min 35 CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR - IN WHICH THE TRAVELLERS MOVE HOMEWARD, AND ENCOUNTER SOME DISTINGUISHED CHARACTERS UPON THE WAY 40 min 36 CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE - ARRIVING IN ENGLAND, MARTIN WITNESSES A CEREMONY, FROM WHICH HE DERIVES THE CHEERING INFORMATION THAT HE HAS NOT BEEN FORGOTTEN IN HIS ABSENCE 18 min 37 CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX - TOM PINCH DEPARTS TO SEEK HIS FORTUNE. WHAT HE FINDS AT STARTING 55 min 38 CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN - TOM PINCH, GOING ASTRAY, FINDS THAT HE IS NOT THE ONLY PERSON IN THAT PREDICAMENT. HE RETALIATES UPON A FALLEN FOE 25 min 39 CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT - SECRET SERVICE 24 min 40 CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE - CONTAINING SOME FURTHER PARTICULARS OF THE DOMESTIC ECONOMY OF THE PINCHES; WITH STRANGE NEWS FROM THE CITY, NARROWLY CONCERNING TOM 45 min 41 CHAPTER FORTY - THE PINCHES MAKE A NEW ACQUAINTANCE, AND HAVE FRESH OCCASION FOR SURPRISE AND WONDER 37 min 42 CHAPTER FORTY-ONE - MR JONAS AND HIS FRIEND, ARRIVING AT A PLEASANT UNDERSTANDING, SET FORTH UPON AN ENTERPRISE 22 min 43 CHAPTER FORTY-TWO - CONTINUATION OF THE ENTERPRISE OF MR JONAS AND HIS FRIEND 24 min 44 CHAPTER FORTY-THREE - HAS AN INFLUENCE ON THE FORTUNES OF SEVERAL PEOPLE. MR PECKSNIFF IS EXHIBITED IN THE PLENITUDE OF POWER; AND WIELDS THE SAME WITH FORTITUDE AND MAGNANIMITY 54 min 45 CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR - FURTHER CONTINUATION OF THE ENTERPRISE OF MR JONAS AND HIS FRIEND 23 min 46 CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE - IN WHICH TOM PINCH AND HIS SISTER TAKE A LITTLE PLEASURE; BUT QUITE IN A DOMESTIC WAY, AND WITH NO CEREMONY ABOUT IT 24 min 47 CHAPTER FORTY-SIX - IN WHICH MISS PECKSNIFF MAKES LOVE, MR JONAS MAKES WRATH, MRS GAMP MAKES TEA, AND MR CHUFFEY MAKES BUSINESS 57 min 48 CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN - CONCLUSION OF THE ENTERPRISE OF MR JONAS AND HIS FRIEND 24 min 49 CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT - BEARS TIDINGS OF MARTIN AND OF MARK, AS WELL AS OF A THIRD PERSON NOT QUITE UNKNOWN TO THE READER. EXHIBITS FILIAL PIETY IN AN UGLY ASPECT; AND CASTS A DOUBTFUL RAY OF LIGHT UPON A VERY DARK PLACE 43 min 50 CHAPTER FORTY-NINE - IN WHICH MRS HARRIS ASSISTED BY A TEAPOT, IS THE CAUSE OF A DIVISION BETWEEN FRIENDS 37 min 51 CHAPTER FIFTY - SURPRISES TOM PINCH VERY MUCH, AND SHOWS HOW CERTAIN CONFIDENCES PASSED BETWEEN HIM AND HIS SISTER 28 min 52 CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE - SHEDS NEW AND BRIGHTER LIGHT UPON THE VERY DARK PLACE; AND CONTAINS THE SEQUEL OF THE ENTERPRISE OF MR JONAS AND HIS FRIEND 56 min 53 CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO - IN WHICH THE TABLES ARE TURNED, COMPLETELY UPSIDE DOWN 50 min 54 CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE WHAT JOHN WESTLOCK - SAID TO TOM PINCH'S SISTER; WHAT TOM PINCH'S SISTER SAID TO JOHN WESTLOCK; WHAT TOM PINCH SAID TO BOTH OF THEM; AND HOW THEY ALL PASSED THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY 24 min 55 CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR - GIVES THE AUTHOR GREAT CONCERN. FOR IT IS THE LAST IN THE BOOK 30 min
